News Archive - Scott LaFee

Mitochondrial DNA Mutations Linked to Heart Disease Risk

UC San Diego and Salk Institute researchers report a surprising link between mitochondria, inflammation and gene mutations that may increase risk of atherosclerosis.

Engineering the Microbiome to Potentially Cure Disease

UC San Diego researchers report using native bacteria in mice as the chassis for delivering transgenes capable of inducing persistent and potentially even curative therapeutic changes in the gut and reversing disease pathologies.

Gene Therapy Approach Shows Promise in Treating ALS

Researchers report that a gene therapy approach, developed at UC San Diego measurably delayed disease onset in humanized mouse and rat models of familial ALS, an inherited form of the disease that runs in families.

Iron Buildup in Brain Linked to Higher Risk for Movement Disorders

UC San Diego researchers report that individuals with two copies of a gene mutation show evidence of substantial iron buildup in regions of the brain, raising risk for movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease.

Lactating Mice Pass along Common Antimicrobial to Pups, Initiating Liver Damage

In mouse studies, UC San Diego researchers report that lactating mothers expose their feeding pups to triclosan, an antimicrobial commonly used in consumer products, resulting in early signs of liver damage.

Coronavirus Jumped to Humans at Least Twice at Market in Wuhan, China

In a pair of related studies, UC San Diego researchers show that the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic was at a Chinese market and resulted from at least two instances of the SARS-CoV-2 virus jumping from live animal hosts to humans working or shopping there.

Coronavirus Jumped to Humans at Least Twice at Market in Wuhan, China

In a pair of related studies, UC San Diego researchers show that the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic was at a Chinese market and resulted from at least two instances of the SARS-CoV-2 virus jumping from live animal hosts to humans working or shopping there.